Jaylen Brown Calls Out Lu Dort's Relentless Fouling

The Boston Celtics star had a hilarious reaction to getting smacked in the head by the Oklahoma City Thunder defender.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 6:03am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

In a recent game between the Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder, Celtics star Jaylen Brown was on the receiving end of a hard foul from Thunder defender Lu Dort. Brown called out Dort's relentless fouling tactics, saying Dort "smacked me upside the head like I'm one of his grandkids." This comes as Dort has faced criticism for his physical play, including an incident with Nuggets star Nikola Jokic. Despite the foul, Brown had a big game, scoring 31 points to lead the Celtics to a 119-109 win and snap the Thunder's 12-game winning streak.

Why it matters

Brown's criticism of Dort's fouling highlights the evolving nature of NBA defense, where physical play and intentional fouling have become more common. It also shows how star players are pushing back against overly aggressive tactics, especially when they feel the officiating is not adequately addressing the issue.

The details

In the third quarter of the Celtics-Thunder game, Brown drove to the basket for a layup attempt when he was met mid-air by Dort, who delivered a hard foul to Brown's head. Brown later commented on the play, saying Dort "smacked me upside the head like I'm one of his grandkids." Dort has faced scrutiny in the past for his physical play, including an incident where he intentionally fouled Nuggets star Nikola Jokic. Despite the foul, Brown had a big game, scoring 14 of his 31 points in the third quarter to help the Celtics rally and secure a 119-109 win, snapping the Thunder's 12-game winning streak.

  • The incident occurred deep into the third quarter of the Celtics-Thunder game on March 27, 2026.

The players

Jaylen Brown

The Boston Celtics shooting guard who scored 31 points in the game and called out Lu Dort's relentless fouling.

Lu Dort

The Oklahoma City Thunder defender who delivered the hard foul to Jaylen Brown's head, drawing criticism for his physical play.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Bro smacked me upside the head like I'm one of his grandkids.”

— Jaylen Brown

The takeaway

This incident highlights the evolving nature of NBA defense, where physical play and intentional fouling have become more common. It also shows how star players are pushing back against overly aggressive tactics, especially when they feel the officiating is not adequately addressing the issue. As the league continues to grapple with this trend, it will be interesting to see how the rules and enforcement evolve to balance physicality and player safety.